This type of contact blade and socket-like, plug-in connector part having this type of contact blade are described in DE 10 2016 007 117 A1. DE 10 2016 007 117 A1 is the subject of FIGS. 4 and 6 herein.
DE 44 39 105 C1 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,613,885) describes a contact blade which is formed from a sheet metal strip bent in a U-shape, thus forming two oppositely situated contact arms. Each contact arm is divided into two contact webs by a primary opening that is introduced in the longitudinal direction. DE 44 39 105 C1 is the subject of FIG. 5 herein.
For the contact blade described in DE 10 2016 007 117 A1, for each contact web an elongated contact opening is introduced on a section of the contact web in the longitudinal direction. For each contact web, the contact opening further divides a section of the contact web into two parallel strips, referred to as contact skids. The sections having the contact openings are situated in each case in an area in which the contact arms or contact webs are bent toward one another and are thus closer to one another. This results in locations at which the contact blade may establish electrical connections with a mating plug-in connector that is insertable between the contact arms. Such locations are referred to as contact points. The contact points are situated approximately in the middle of the lengths of the contact openings. A plug pin having a rectangular cross section is provided as a mating plug-in connector.
In comparison to the contact blade of DE 44 39 105 C1, the number of contact points is doubled in the contact blade of DE 10 2016 007 117 A1, thus improving the properties of the electrical connection to a mating plug-in connector. It is thus possible to achieve lower contact resistances and a more robust electrical connection under difficult environmental conditions (shocks, vibrations).
However, due to the division of the contact webs in some sections into two mutually parallel contact skids, provided in DE 10 2016 007 117 A1, the contact points situated on the outer contact skids rest quite close to the side edges of the contact arms. As the result of an unfavorable tolerance position of the plug pin and the plug-in connector part or contact blade with respect to one another, a contact point on an outer contact skid may contact only one edge of the plug pin instead of the surface thereof. Unlike surface contact, such contacting of the plug pin at an edge may not form a reliable point of contact.